“Florida.I know sand and palm trees.This is such a welcome change.”
“World of difference around here, son,” Frank said as he walked closer.Rocko noticed his limp.He held out his hand for Rocko to shake, and he did.“A man could lose himself and find himself out here,” Frank said with an honest smile.
“I’m sure he can.It’s a place that leaves an impression.”
“I see you weren’t spared during that windstorm a couple of weeks back,” Apollo said.“One hell of a storm.”
“That it was.Haven’t had a spring so turbulent in a long time,” Frank said.“I’m getting around to cleaning it up.”
“Well, we’ve got nothing on our schedule this morning.How about we give you a hand?”Griffin offered, right on cue.
“No, I couldn’t ask you fellas to do that,” Frank said.
“You’re not, we’re offering and already here.Letting you do all this work alone wouldn’t be neighborly of us.Ain’t right,” Apollo assured.
Frank looked back at his daughter, who shrugged and said, “I’ll go make some coffee,” before taking off back into the house.
“Well, I suppose it’d be okay for a bit if you’re sure.”
Apollo looked around at the men, who were all nodding, and Rocko played along.
“I’d love the opportunity to get my hands dirty.Sitting behind a desk at the station gets awfully boring.”
“Station?You’re an officer or a fireman?”Frank asked.
“Detective, sir.”
“A detective from Florida.You’re well off the beaten path around here, son,” Frank said with another genuine smile.
“That I am, sir.That I am.”
“Well, let’s get to it, men,” Apollo ordered, and the cleanup began before Frank could change his mind.
The team split up to tackle the downed trees, shed doors, and broken fence.Rocko helped repair the shed doors, which didn’t take more than fifteen minutes, and then went to help haul away the larger limbs and pieces of trees that had been knocked down or cut down.It felt good to be moving around and using his muscles after being laid up for days.The sun shone, and he worked up a good sweat, elevating his mood by the minute.
Although he and Apollo were separated by a short distance, Rocko could still feel his presence and the calming effect it had on him.Their connection had grown and strengthened over the time they’d been together, extending to short distances.He couldn’t help but wonder if it was also changing for Apollo.
The question rolled around in his mind as Rocko walked past the side of the house, his arms full of branches, to see Asher playing with her dolls on the back deck.She was adorable.Big blue eyes, blonde pigtails, and an infectious smile.What kind of man leaves his child’s mother and young daughter without a word?An asshole, that’s the kind.Sadly, the world was full of them.
She hadn’t seen him yet, and before he could say hello again, the little girl lifted her tiny hand, and a few feet away, a doll rose into the air and floated into her arms.Rocko spun back around before he was seen, dropped the branches, and went in search of Apollo.Mary’s daughter had telekinetic powers.Holy shit.
His heart was racing.Did this mean Mary was a survivor, or even Frank, her father?Perhaps this was why Frank didn’t want people around.He was protecting his daughter and granddaughter.
Rocko found Apollo and Griffin working on one of the fences, repairing the last of the broken boards.He quickly scanned the area to ensure neither Frank nor Mary was in sight before walking up to him.
“You have to invite them to the barbecue,” Rocko blurted out.
“What?”Apollo frowned.“I’m still thinking about it.We could be taking a risk,”
“Asher was playing on the back deck, and I saw her levitate one of her dolls,” Rocko whispered.
Griffin dropped the board he was holding directly onto Apollo’s foot.“What?”
“Ouch, damnit,” Apollo growled as he shook out his boot.
“Asher has powers,” he repeated.
Rocko knew Apollo worried about the potential impact of public knowledge of their abilities and the chaos that would ensue.As of now, their fight was held in the shadows, away from the general public’s knowledge.But an invisible timer had already started ticking down the days, hours, and minutes before their anonymity was destroyed by those in power or a survivor unable to control their abilities.
